St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-09-01
A ROYAL CUR.
How MaXimilian Tried to Barter
His Army for Personal Safety.


His Army for Personal Safety.
CITY OF MEXICO, Aug. 31.-A great
sensation was created to-day at this cap
ital by leading article in the Monitor
Republican,, wherein an astounding
revelation of the conduct of the Emperor
Maximilian ON the surrender of the
city of Queretaro is given to the public.
For weeks past there has been most
acrimonious controversy in the news
papers regarding the assumed treach-
cry of the imperial general, Lopez, in
surrendering the convent of La Cruz
the key to QueretarO during the siege.
The writer declares that Gen. EscObedo,
commander of the republican forces,
made report on the matter to the gov
ernment two months ago vindicating
Gen. Lopez, land the published statement
is furnished him by one of Gen. EScO-
bedo'S officers to whom the report to
the government was read. On the first
page of the report is a photographed let
ter purporting to haYe been written by
Emperor MaXimilian to Miguel Lopez.
The letter, translated, reads as follows:
my Dear Col: Lopez: We recommend you
to observe profound secrecy regarding the
commission to Gen. EscODedo which we
have entrusted to you, for if it is divulged,
our honor will be stained. Yours affection
ately, MACMILLAN.
May 1S, 1867"
He then describes the situation of the
two armies during the final days of the
siege. The line of contact was perfect.
The situation of the beSieged was deS-
perate. They were running short of
provisions and ammunition, and were
fast becoming demoraliZed. AT this
conjunction Gen. EScobedo was one
day notified that one of Maximilian's Of
III int HI
EScObedO instantly granted the inter-
view, and Col. Miguel Lopez, one of
Maximilian's favorite officers, was in
troduced. Lopez said he was commits
stoned by Macmillan to offer to deliver
the garrison to EScobedO ON condition
that the latter should allow MaXimilian
and his officers to depart unmolested;
that MaXimilian had already signed his
abdicatiOn, and that he would go straight
to Vera Cruz, where ship would be in
readiness to take him on board, and that
he would engage himself, on his word
of honor, never again to meddle in the
affairs of Mexico. Gen. EScobedO re-
piled that he could make no such terms,
as the orders of the government
were that the beseiged should
surrender at discretion. Lopez then
declared that he was authorized to make
such terms with Escobedo as he could,
and in the name of his chief he in
| formed Escobedo that the Republican
army might occupy the convent of
La Cruz at o'clock on the following
sistance, and that Maximilian in
| person would surrender him
self unconditionally. The convent
was accordingly seized without
resistance, but MaXimillian did not
| comply with his promise to surrender
| his person on that spot. QueretarO
was then occupied after some Intellectual
resistance, and the imperialist leaders
were made prisoners. In this part of
his report Gen. Escobedo declares
in the most emphatic language that
Lopez was no traitor; that he did
not receive one cent of money. In evil
dence of his authority to make terms on
behalf of the emperor, Lopez produced
the letter already alluded to in which
MaXimillian desired Lopez to maintain
the profoundest secrecy in regard to the
mission with which he lopez had been
entrusted to Gen. Esc0bedO. This
letter removed all doubts from
Escobedo's mind and he then
| SeQuent interview MaXimilian told ES-
| cObedo that he had an immense favor to
ask of him, and EScobedO promised to
grant it if possible. MaXimilian then
asked Escobedo to promise that ne
would never reveal the manner in which
| the convent of La Cruz had been Occu-
| pied, EScobedo said that he could
make no such engagement, inasmuch as
circumstances of such nature might
arise as would compel him to make a
full statement of the facts. MaXimilian,
however, persisted. He said that he
foresaw his own end, and that now his
only care was to prevent any stain from
| lighting on the escutcheon of the illustri-
Gus house of HapSburg, of which he was
scion, and that If Escobedo could not
make an unconditional promise, he en-
| treated that he would at least engage
not to reveal the truth until after the
death of the unfortunate Empress Car
| lotta. EscobedO compassioned the un-
happy position of his fallen foe and
made promise on condition that he
should consider himself released there
from if at any time circumstances
should arise which might make it imper-
| ative on him to speak.